Dick Shaw, a titan in business and civic communities, dies at 91

Jared Stonesifer @Stonesifer412

Thursday

Jan 3, 2019 at 4:00 PMJan 7, 2019 at 4:53 PM

Dick Shaw had business and political connections worldwide, and he never hesitated to use those relationships to benefit Beaver County. Shaw died at the age of 91 on Dec. 29, and many public officials started off the new year by remembering a man who was a giant in the regional business and civic communities.

Dick Shaw had business and political connections worldwide, and he never hesitated to use those relationships to benefit Beaver County.

Shaw, of Beaver, died at the age of 91 on Dec. 29, and many public officials started off the new year by remembering a man who was a giant in the regional business and civic communities.

While he served as chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Michael Baker Corp. on several different occasions, Shaw is perhaps most remembered locally for leading the charge in getting the former Route 60 designated as Interstate 376.

County Commissioner Tony Amadio said Thursday that the importance of the name change for the highway can’t be understated.

“Before we got that designation, we weren’t on the map,” he said. “Corporations around the world would look at a map and see Route 60, but they wouldn’t see any major highways running through Beaver County. Dick was the spark that accomplished that. He knew a lot of important people and knew how to get things done.”

The designation, which required the authorization of the U.S. Congress, meant that federal infrastructure dollars began pouring into Beaver County. The designation was a cherry on top of a career spent driving and shaping economic development in Beaver County.

“What it did was put Beaver County on the map for big developers like Shell to discover us,” said Jack Manning, president of the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce. “Dick was instrumental in the entire process. He was instrumental in so many things that set the stage for development here. He was remarkably dedicated to Beaver County.”

Former county Commissioner Joe Spanik said he vividly remembers standing near the Hopewell exit on the day Route 60 was renamed I-376, watching the old signs being replaced by the new. He also remembers Shaw deserving an enormous of credit but not wishing to be praised for it.

“Dick was crucial to the growth of Beaver County,” Spanik said. “A great man, very humble. Soft-spoken but carried a big stick. When Dick talked, everyone listened to him. Everyone.”

Spanik said Shaw also deserves praise for his tenures at Michael Baker. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 1950, Shaw went to work for the engineering firm in 1952. He progressed through various leadership positions before being named president in 1973 and chief executive officer in 1984.

He retired as CEO in 1992, but returned to that role three times between 1993 and 2006, finally retiring for good in 2008.

Spanik said Shaw fought tirelessly to keep Michael Baker’s world headquarters on Dutch Ridge Road in Brighton Township because he knew how much the company meant to the community. The company eventually moved its headquarters to Moon Township in 1992, after Shaw retired the first time.

“It’s a great loss for Beaver County,” Spanik said about Shaw. “With (former labor leader) Ed Hill passing away last month, we’ve lost two tremendous leaders in a very short time.”

Shaw wasn’t just instrumental on a regional or county level. Beaver Mayor Tom Hamilton said Thursday that Shaw was the driving force behind a streetscape enhancement project that changed the face of the town.

“He was a leader on that project, as far as making a push to revitalize the town,” Hamilton said. “Dick was just able to get things done and move mountains when it came to any issue. He was a driving force for economic development in Beaver County.”

Perhaps the thing Hamilton will remember the most about Shaw was the man’s humility. Hamilton said he and others tried to get Shaw to run for elected office, but he would decline each time.

“Mr. Shaw would just smile and say he appreciated the offer, but he always thought he could do more to help behind the scenes. And boy, he sure did,” Hamilton said. “His loss is a loss for the community. He left a tremendous impact on our area.”

H. James McKnight, the chief legal officer and executive vice president for Michael Baker, said Thursday that Shaw rightfully had the “respect and loyalty of employees and the community alike.”

McKnight, who served as board secretary when Shaw served as chairman of the board from 1995 to 2013, said the entire company has extended its condolences to the Shaw family.

“He was a tremendous friend to Beaver County and had business contacts throughout the country and world with whom he would partner to do what was best for our clients and the communities we served,” McKnight said. “Dick’s leadership and friendship will long be remembered by so many.”

Born on May 8, 1927, in Beaver, Shaw entered the U.S. Army after graduating from high school and served in the European theater during World War II. He graduated from Pitt in 1950 with a business degree.

Shaw’s engagement in civic activities is almost too long to list. He served for decades on the board of directors for the Beaver County Corporation for Economic Development, as well as the New Brighton Area School Board.

He was also a trustee of Brighton Center for Youth and served on a number of boards, including United Way of Beaver County, Salvation Army, Penn State-Beaver, Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional Planning Commission, the Allegheny County Airport Authority, the American Red Cross and Boy Scouts of America.

In his capacity at Michael Baker, Shaw also completed the property surveys, site design and civil permitting for the new home of the Beaver County Humane Society, at no cost to the society. The plan for the state-of-the-art facility came to fruition in 2013.

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